Chapter 262 Leaving Him with a Last Shred of Dignity
Shen Qingshu got off work early today and arrived home before five o'clock.
Upon seeing the Maybach in the yard, she paused, guessing that Fu Siyan had arrived.
Upon entering the house, one could see Fu Siyan squatting with his back to the door, his two children clinging to him.
On a midsummer afternoon, the setting sun shone through the front door, casting its light on the father and his two sons.
The scene is heartwarming and healing.
The man's back was straight under his white shirt, or perhaps he had become much thinner than before, with the outline of his shoulder blades faintly visible beneath the shirt.
Shen Qingshu stopped in her tracks and did not go forward to disturb her.
Xiao Anning saw her, stepped out of Fu Siyan's arms, and ran towards her: "Mom!"
Shen Qingshu knelt down to greet her daughter and kissed her soft cheek.
Fu Siyan released his son, stood up and looked at her, "You've had a hard time these past few days."
Shen Qingshu released Xiao Anning, stood up and looked at him, "Taking care of them is what I should do as a mother."
Fu Siyan's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. Now that things had come to this, he dared not hope that Shen Qingshu would have any more feelings for him.
For him, it was already a blessing that she could communicate and talk with him so calmly as she was now.
The two stood a few steps apart, staring at each other.
They were both calm.
Fu Siyan was unaware that his impending death had been exposed, and even less aware that the 'peaceful atmosphere' that moved him with surprise and emotion was the last bit of dignity that Shen Qingshu left for him.
It's pointless to argue with a dying person about past grievances.
Qiao Xingjia stood on the stairs, looking at the family of four together. Although it was a very ordinary scene, she suddenly felt that it was not appropriate for her to get involved at this time.
Little Anning tugged at Shen Qingshu's little finger, "Mommy, can I stay at Daddy's house for the night?"
Shen Qingshu lowered her head to look at her daughter.
Xiao Anning stared at her with her bright, expectant eyes.
Shen Qingshu smiled and said, "Mom is fine, but you should ask your dad if he's free."
"Dad also told me to ask Mom!"
Shen Qingshu tapped the little girl's nose. "How many days do you want to go?"
"Three days!" Xiao Anning held up three short fingers. "I promise I'll be back in three days!"
“Okay,” Shen Qingshu agreed.
Fu Siyan didn't expect Shen Qingshu to agree so readily.
He was somewhat surprised, even grateful.
"Ah Shu, thank you." The man stared at her with deep, dark eyes.
Shen Qingshu looked at him, her tone calm, "I've temporarily suspended their extracurricular classes, which means they need someone to accompany them at home all day. Are you sure you can handle that?"
Fu Siyan smiled slightly, "I'm currently unemployed, so I have plenty of time."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingshu said no more, "I'll go upstairs and help them pack their things."
Fu Siyan agreed.
Qiao Xingjia followed Shen Qingshu upstairs.
In the room, Qiao Xingjia stood by the bed with her son in her arms, watching Shen Qingshu pack the children's clothes.
“Fu Siyan has lost a lot of weight,” Qiao Xingjia said. “His complexion is also bad; he really doesn’t look well.”
Shen Qingshu didn't stop what she was doing. When she heard Qiao Xingjia's words, she just responded faintly.
Qiao Xingjia stared at her. "A-Shu, are you feeling sorry for him?"
“After all, he is the father of two children, and the children like him very much now.” Shen Qingshu squatted down and zipped up the mini suitcase.
Qiao Xingjia sighed, "Fu Siyan gave you all his personal assets. To be honest, with so much money, what kind of doctor or medicine couldn't he hire? It's probably... completely incurable, right?"
"So, for the sake of the child, I'll leave him with dignity and respect in these last moments."
Qiao Xingjia nodded, "You've already done more than enough. If it were me, and Qin Yancheng dared to treat me like this..."
"Don't talk nonsense!" Shen Qingshu interrupted her. "Haven't you heard of a prophecy coming true? Remember to avoid prophecies in the future."
Qiao Xingjia immediately shut up!
Shen Qingshu stood up, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly said, "Xingxing, Nian'an has been calling for her father in her dreams these past few nights."
Qiao Xingjia was taken aback.
"The day I first met Nian'an, he was thin and small, with a delicate face. However, due to congenital deficiencies, his complexion was pale, and his dark eyes stared at people with a somewhat dull gaze. I saw my reflection in his eyes, and at that moment, my heart ached. Although I didn't know he was my child at the time, his appearance is still vivid in my memory."
Qiao Xingjia felt a sharp pain in her heart as she listened.
“The first time we met, Nian’an showed an instinctive closeness to me and Xiao Anning.” Shen Qingshu paused and then said, “At first, he wasn’t close to Fu Siyan, but later when Xiao Wen and I went to K country to pick him up, Nian’an was very close to and trusted Fu Siyan, even more so than I was.”
"Maybe this is the power of blood ties?" Qiao Xingjia looked down at the little star in her arms. "This little guy was especially fussy during his first month. He wouldn't let anyone else hold him. He only wanted Qin Yancheng to hold him. If anyone else held him, he would fuss. Qin Yancheng basically had to hold him to sleep every night during that month."
The little star blinked in its mother's arms and babbled as if echoing its mother's words.
Looking at Xiao Xingchen's adorable appearance, Shen Qingshu felt even more guilty towards her son.
She missed out on Nian'an's infancy and early childhood.
This guilt became an obsession for her, which led her to deny Fu Siyan's affection for Nian'an from the very beginning.
Looking back now, Shen Qingshu doesn't feel good.
“After Nian’an returned to Beicheng, he basically stayed with Fu Siyan. Every time I went to pick him up, I could see his progress. Xingxing, Fu Siyan must have given Nian’an enough sense of security, otherwise he wouldn’t be calling for his father even in his dreams.”
Qiao Xingjia was also somewhat moved by what she heard. "So you're worried that Xiao Nian'an won't be able to adapt if Fu Siyan is gone?"
Shen Qingshu pursed her lips and nodded.
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it. Qin Yancheng is also very sad." Qiao Xingjia sighed. "In the face of life, people are sometimes so fragile."
Shen Qingshu pulled out the suitcase handle, paused, and said, "Fu Siyan's family of origin was not good either. In a way, these two children are his salvation, which is why he does his best to be good to them."
“Xingxing, I always felt that he shouldn’t have died like this. I even think that if God had given him more time, he would have done a better job as a parent than I have.”
“You’re great too.” Qiao Xingjia said urgently, “A-Shu, your family of origin wasn’t good either, but you still kept them in those difficult circumstances. Just for that, you are the best and most qualified mother to them!”
Shen Qingshu looked at Qiao Xingjia and smiled faintly, "Xingxing, only you will always stand firmly by my side and believe in me so firmly."
Even Jiang Yuelan once suspected that she was the third party who broke up Fu Siyan and Zhou Yuchu, but Qiao Xingjia never wavered.
Shen Qingshu looked at Qiao Xingjia, her eyes crinkling into a smile, "Xingxing, thank you."
"That's right! I'm your true love! Why don't you wait for me a little longer?" Qiao Xingjia winked at her, "After I divorce Qin Yancheng, I'll take Xiao Xingchen, and you can take Xiao Nian'an and Xiao Anning. We'll be a couple and live together for the rest of our lives!"
Shen Qingshu immediately took three steps back, looking disgusted: "A lesbian mistress is still a mistress, I won't do such a despicable thing."
Qiao Xingjia: "..."
…
Shen Qingshu carried her suitcase downstairs.
Before leaving, Fu Siyan called Shen Qingshu to the courtyard for a private talk.
In the darkness, the two stood under the light of the pavilion, their shadows reflected on the ground at their feet.
Fu Siyan looked at Shen Qingshu with deep eyes: "I want to transfer Nian'an's household registration to your side."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingshu paused.
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